proverb · Words worth keeping
Ill gotten gains seldom prosper.
Ill gotten gains seldom prosper.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying warns that benefits obtained through wrongdoing can bring trouble rather than lasting advantage. It is a moral warning, not proof that misconduct is always punished or that prosperity demonstrates honesty.
Example
A team returns materials taken without permission instead of treating their usefulness to the project as a reason to keep the unresolved wrong out of view.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Ill gotten identifies a benefit acquired by improper means, while prosper suggests a successful or lasting outcome. The proverb discourages looking only at the immediate advantage of a wrong action. Concealment, damaged trust or a need for repair can make that advantage less secure. Seldom is not a measured frequency here, and the saying does not guarantee a fair outcome in every case. Some wrongdoing goes unaddressed, while honest people can face setbacks. The useful lesson is to assess how a result was obtained and whom it affected, rather than treat success or failure alone as a reliable judgement of its morality.
When to use it
Use it to question an advantage obtained through an evidenced wrong.
Keep in mind
Outcomes do not prove morality; wrongdoing is not guaranteed to be exposed or punished.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English